48 Hours in Sydney: The Perfect Weekend in Sydney

So, you’re planning a weekend in Sydney?! Lucky you – it’s one of my favorite cities in the world and will always hold a big place in my heart as I lived in Sydney for 4+ years and I met my husband here. Sydney is certainly a wow-worthy city, home to world-famous sights like the Sydney Opera House and the Harbour Bridge and perfect beaches like Bondi and Manly.

You’ve clicked on this article because you want to know what awesome things you can squeeze into 48 hours in Sydney. And actually, you can fit a lot into just 48 hours in Sydney. That’s because Sydney is a very walkable city and the public transport here is great. So in two days in Sydney, you can easily visit the Opera House, stroll through the Botanic Gardens, catch the ferry to Manly, and walk the Bondi to Coogee coastal trail.

So, let’s take a look, shall we? This itinerary is exactly how I’d spend a weekend in Sydney as a tourist!

Day 1: Opera House, Ferry to Manly, Walk the Harbour Bridge

Morning – The Rocks, Sydney Opera House & Botanic Gardens

The morning of day one in Sydney, I recommend getting up early and making a beeline for the oldest part of the city (The Rocks) for breakfast and a stroll. With your bellies full head to the iconic Opera House before it gets too busy. Then, take a stroll through the stunning Botanic Gardens next door.

Explore The Rocks

For breakfast this morning, there are a couple of great options in The Rocks. Our go-to here, is The Fine Food Store which is hidden away on Kendall Lane, the oldest street in The Rocks. It’s a cool, modern spot with a buzzy vibe. It’s very popular with locals and that’s always a good sign I think! Plus, their coffee is excellent (and strong!)

As you may already know The Rocks is the oldest part of Sydney. Most of the buildings here are made of sandstone and they’re perfectly restored. The oldest building here was constructed way back in 1816. You’ll find it next to the Museum of Contemporary Art (it’s called Cadman’s Cottage).

You’ll feel like you’ve stepped back in time as you wander the streets here – my favorite streets to photograph here are Nurse’s Walk and Argyle Street.

At the weekend The Rocks Market held on George Street is a must-visit. It’s a maze of all different stalls, selling everything you could imagine – jewelry, candles, and sweets. And there are live music acts performing throughout the day. The Rocks Markets open from 10 am on Saturdays and Sundays.

Sydney Opera House

Your next stop is the Sydney Opera House. One of the coolest buildings in the world. It opened its doors in 1973 and is one of the top event venues in the country. Several superstars have performed here over the years, like Bob Dylan and Sting.

The Opera House is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and its unique design (it’s often thought to represent the sails of a ship) attracts over 10 million tourists every year! It really is such a delight to see up close – it’s huge and much more impressive in real life! Would you believe there are over 1 million roof tiles on the building?

I highly recommend you book a guided tour of the inside of this iconic building. The tour is only around an hour long and to me it’s well worth doing to see the interior and learn about the history and construction of the opera house. As you can imagine the tour is very popular. You will need to book it in advance, especially if you plan on visiting during the busy summer months or on a weekend day. The tour costs $45 AUD per person.

Botanic Gardens

The oldest Botanic Gardens in the country are located right next to the Opera House. So it makes sense to go for a leisurely stroll here after checking out the Opera House. It’s like an oasis in the middle of the city. And the fact that it’s situated right on Sydney harbour makes it even more appealing. It’s free to enter and we recommend spending around an hour here taking in all the native plants and flowers and admiring the views of the harbour.

One of my favorite places to visit in the Royal Botanic Gardens (to use its full name) is Mrs Macquaries Chair which is around a 20-minute walk from where you enter the gardens near the Opera House. This spot is known as having one of the best views in Sydney. From here you have the perfect framing for your pictures of both the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge.

On your walk back to the Opera House from Mrs Macquaries Chair, I suggest stopping in for a coffee at the Botanic Gardens Cafe.

Afternoon – Walk across the Harbour Bridge

This is one of my favorite things to do in Sydney and it will take around 30 minutes to walk across the bridge each way. Be sure to take your time as you stroll across, as you’ll have an awesome view of the Sydney Opera House and the harbour as you go! If you wish, you can climb up the Pylon for uninterrupted views of the city below, this costs around $25 USD per person. And no need to book, just rock up and wait your turn. However, beware it’s a climb of 200 steps to the lookout!

When you climb down the steps from the bridge into Kirribilli I recommend walking down to Lavender Bay which is a short 15-minute walk away. Along the walk, you’ll pass Luna Park, a quirky theme park. Be sure to snap some photos of the funny face at the entrance.

I recommend having lunch over this way, I actually lived in Kirribilli for a year and regularly had lunch at The Flying Bear on McDougall Street which is spectacularly located on the harbour! They serve up delicious salads and burgers with an insane view of Sydney harbour!

When you’re done with lunch, walk back across the Harbour Bridge or you can catch a train from Milson’s Point station.

Late Afternoon/ Evening – Catch the ferry to Manly

Next, I recommend catching the ferry to Manly from Circular Quay. It’s regarded as one of the most picturesque ferry journeys in the world as it passes the Opera House, the Harbour Bridge, and several of Sydney’s beaches. The fast ferry ride is only 20 minutes long and the regular ferry is 40 minutes long.

I did the Manly ferry ride most weekends when I lived in Sydney because not only is the ferry ride wow-worthy but Manly itself is a very cool, laidback part of Sydney and the beach here is epic. Think, a very long stretch of golden sand – with lots of surfers (it’s one of the best places to go surfing in Australia!) Manly is often compared to Bondi and yes they are similar but Manly is quieter – which is a big plus for me.

Manly is one of the best sunset spots in Sydney, but, I don’t recommend watching the sunset from Manly Beach. Instead, walk to the nearby hidden gem of a beach – Shelly Beach. It’s just a scenic 15-minute stroll from Manly Beach. Shelly Beach is one of my favorite beaches in Sydney. You could pack a picnic and watch the sun sink into the Pacific Ocean from the golden sand here or head back into Manly for a casual dinner.

We really like Banco Manly which specializes in local produce, and they have a great wine list. If you can get for happy hour (4:30 – 6 pm) they do great deals.

Late evening – Drinks at The Opera Bar

Arguably one of the most famous bars in all of Sydney – The Opera Bar is exactly ‘what it says on the tin’ a bar located right next to the Opera House. It’s the spot I always took friends and family when they visited me and it always impressed them! It truly is wow-worthy and even though it’s very popular, it’s huge so you’ll likely always grab a table here.

Day 2: Bondi to Coogee Walk, Explore the CBD, Darling Harbour

Morning – Walk from Coogee to Bondi

The iconic Bondi to Coogee Walk is arguably one of the most scenic and most popular coastal walks in Australia. This 6 km easy trail starts in Bondi and ends in Coogee or vice-versa. In this case, we recommend starting in Coogee and ending in Bondi so that you can have lunch in the famed Icebergs Bondi Beach. If you’re staying in the city you can catch the 373 bus out to Coogee, and I will add that you should start this walk early, especially at the weekend. I suggest around 8 am – so that you beat the crowds.

The walk should take you about 3 hours including photo and swim stops as along the way, you’ll pass some of Sydney’s best beaches like Tamarama, Clovelly, and Bronte.

I’ve done this walk loads of times as I lived in North Bondi for a few years. The views the whole way are breathtaking and, you can stop off for a dip in the sea along the way or at the Clovelly Ocean Pool. And there are several coffee shops along the trail too, so you can grab a coffee to-go and walk with it. We like Jenny’s Cafe on Bronte Road in Bronte.

As I said, you’ll end the walk at Bondi Beach. Which is possibly my favorite beach in all of Sydney – yes, it’s very busy but it’s iconic! Part of my love for Bondi lies in the fact that I spent many years watching the TV series Bondi Rescue before I moved here.

Have lunch at Icebergs, you’ll probably recognize this restaurant from your Instagram feed. It’s social-media-famous as it’s situated on a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean and has the most spectacular outdoor pool. The restaurant serves up fine-dining-style Italian dishes and advance booking is essential!

Explore the CBD area

You’ve already ticked off The Rocks and Circular Quay areas of the city and this afternoon I recommend wandering around the central business district and slightly beyond into Oxford Street and Hyde Park.

Sydney is a very walkable city and it doesn’t feel too built up – in fact, to me it’s one of the most aesthetically pleasing cities in the world. So, be sure to have your camera handy for this stroll.

The areas of Sydney CBD I recommend checking out this afternoon include –

• Surry Hills – This is the ‘artsy’ neighborhood of Sydney City and its main street – Oxford Street is one of the most famous LGBTQ+ areas in the world. In fact, it’s classed as the gay capital of Australia’ and it’s here that the famed Mardi Gras parade is held every March. In short, Surry Hills is home to heaps of boho-esque Cafes, stylish restaurants, costume stores, and, gay bars.

• Hyde Park – On your way to Surry Hills, we advise walking through Hyde Park – it’s one of the biggest parks in the city. And it’s a great place to come for a walk and be amongst nature (it’s so picturesque here). There are also several Cafes and restaurants dotted around the park – I really like The Naked Duck for a takeaway coffee or lunch.

• Queen Victoria Building – A heritage-listed building that houses a shopping center, the QVB as locals call it is one of the most wow-worthy buildings in Sydney. Built in 1893 and spread across five levels, it boasts Roman architectural features and gorgeous stained glass windows. There are 140 stores here, I actually bought my first pair of UGG boots here!

• Pitt Street – The pedestrianized section of Pitt Street is the heart of the city and this is where you can do the best shopping. As there are heaps of stores here and you can also access the huge Westfield Shopping Centre from here.

Evening – Darling Harbour

One of the most lively and fun parts of Sydney city is Darling Harbour. It’s nicknamed Sydney’s harbourside playground as it’s home to lots of restaurants, bars, and nightclubs. There are also often lots of free events on here, like cultural festivals and beer festivals.

We suggest grabbing a drink here (I like Cargo Bar or Bungalow 8) before dinner.

If you want to splurge on a memorable dinner for your final night in Sydney then I recommend Cafe Sydney, probably, the most famous restaurant in Sydney. Located in Customs House near Circular Quay it boasts fantastic views over Sydney Harbour, including the Harbour Bridge and Opera House. The food is definitely fine dining and the prices reflect that. You definitely need to book this one in advance! Book it a few months out, if you plan on dining here on a weekend in Sydney.

For a less-spenny dinner, a great casual Italian in the city is Primi Italian on Clarence Street. It’s won lots of awards and my go-to order here is their Wagyu Bolognaise. As well as pasta, they serve salads and pizza.

Tour recommendation: If you love dinner cruises (like us) then this sunset and dinner cruise from Darling Harbour is a great option. On the tour, you’ll enjoy a 3-course meal while taking in the city’s top sights. Your boat is the luxurious MV Sydney 2000 – a super cruiser. And you’ll also get to listen to live performances while you dine. The cruise costs just $115 AUD a head, which is great value considering it includes a 3-course meal!

Late evening – The Baxter Inn (my favorite bar in Sydney)

Of all the amazing bars in Sydney, my favorite is and always will be The Baxter Inn which is hidden down an alleyway off Clarence Street. It would be hard to miss if it wasn’t for the queue of people snaking out onto the street. Entry is via a fire escape and they limit how many people they allow in, meaning it’s quite a peaceful bar by Sydney standards.

If you love whiskey, this is the bar for you as the Baxter Inn boasts over a hundred whiskeys which the bar staff reach via a sliding ladder. But if you don’t love whiskey, fear not as there are plenty of other drinks on offer here. I always order a Margarita.

The lights are low, there’s often blues music playing and it’s overall a very cozy vibe here at “The Baxter” as locals call it.

Other fun things to do in Sydney:

If you have longer than two days in Sydney, i.e. 3 days in Sydney (which we highly recommend) then you’ll be able to tick off a couple more awesome attractions. Some of my favorite activities I’ve done in Sydney include going whale watching on Sydney Harbour to see humpback whales and catching the ferry over to Manly.

Here’s a list of a few of the best things to do in Sydney if you have more time –

Taronga Zoo

If you’re visiting Sydney with kids – Taronga Zoo is a must. It’s one of the biggest zoos in the country (there are over 4,000 animals here) and on a visit here you can expect to see elephants, giraffes, koalas and more. There are also amazing views of Sydney from here.

Tickets for Taronga Zoo costs from $53 AUD per person.

Day trip to the Blue Mountains

The Blue Mountains is one of the most stunning and most famous natural attractions in Australia. And handily, they’re not too far from downtown Sydney. It’s under an hour’s drive away. The easiest way to get to the mountains from Sydney is on a guided tour.

This small group tour is the one we did and highly recommend. It limits the group size to just 14 people so it feels really personal. The tour is 10 hours long and visits the region’s highlights. Places like Echo Point, Wentworth Falls, and the Jamison Valley. You’ll also get to pay a visit to Featherdale Wildlife Park, where you can get up close to native animals like kangaroos and koalas. Lunch in one of the mountainside villages is also included in the price of $175 AUD per person.

BridgeClimb

The Sydney BridgeClimb is a bucket-list-worthy experience has you climbing on top of the Harbour Bridge. Yes, you will literally climb on the bridge, attached by a harness! It’s a nerve-wracking but rewarding experience and you’ll feel on top of the world after accomplishing it. It takes 3 hours, including safety talk and costs from $289 AUD.

Whale watching cruise

Whale-watching season in Sydney runs from May to November and on a whale-watching cruise here, you’ll be treated to scenes of humpback whales putting on a show in Sydney harbour. There’s an abundance of whales in the harbour at this time of year because thousands of these majestic creatures make their way to Sydney from the Antarctic every year in May!

This 2.5-hour cruise from Circular Quay is the tour we did and we really enjoyed it. It costs $95 AUD per person.

Helicopter tour over the city

See the city’s iconic sights like the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House from a helicopter! Yup, from this prime vantage point, you’ll get to see Sydney in all its glory. It’s another bucket-list-worthy tour and it’s certainly not cheap. However, we did this 20-minute helicopter tour when we lived in Sydney and it was incredible. It costs $250 AUD per person.

Where to stay in Sydney

I’ve tried to include something for everyone in the list below from a self-catering apartment in Bondi to a hostel in The Rocks to a luxury 4.5-star hotel in Darling Harbour.

• Novotel on Darling Harbour – Conveniently located in buzzing Darling Harbour, this huge hotel features an outdoor pool, gym and tennis court. And the rooms are spacious and comfortable and many offer a view of Darling Harbour. A room here costs around $250 AUD per night.

• Sydney Potts Point Central Hotel – This boutique, art-deco aparthotel is located in leafy Potts Point and you can walk into the city (around 30 minutes) or catch the train from King’s Cross. There’s a lovely rooftop terrace here with city views. Rooms are reasonably priced at under $200 AUD per night.

• Pullman Sydney Hyde Park – Located in a quieter part of the city, next door to leafy Hyde Park this hotel is still within walking distance to all of Sydney’s top attractions. It boasts a rooftop pool with epic city views, a gym, and stylish rooms (many with city views). Expect to pay approx. $250 AUD per night here.

• Miss Baker’s Boutique Accommodation Bondi Beach – Located a couple of blocks back from the world-famous Bondi Beach, this studio apartment with a balcony is a brilliant option. The studio comes with a kitchenette, air conditioning, a flat-screen TV, and access to a communal garden. Rates average $260 AUD per night.

• YHA Sydney Harbour (The Rocks) – This hostel was actually around the corner from my house in The Rocks and it’s a large, luxurious hostel (as hostels go). It’s got quite a bohemian clientele and it boasts a fabulous rooftop pool. Rooms here range from ensuite doubles to an 8-bed dorm.

When is the best time to visit Sydney?

That answer depends on what you’re after. If you want sunshine then it’s best to visit during Sydney’s summer which runs from December to February. The hottest month is January when average temperatures sit at 82 Fahrenheit (28 Celsius). But, the summer is also the busiest time to visit (especially over the Christmas/New Year period) so prices for hotels will be higher and tours may be sold out.

Personally, my favorite time to visit Sydney is June, which is the start of the winter season and so much quieter. But the weather is still warm at 63 Fahrenheit (17 Celsius) on average.

Remember, the seasons here are different to the Northern Hemisphere. So, Spring in Sydney runs from September to November; Summer from December to February, Autumn from March to May, and Winter from June to August.

I love Sydney!

As you can see, having just a weekend or 48 hours in Sydney is enough time to see all of the city’s best sights. However, with this short amount of time, you’ll just about scratch the surface of what Sydney can offer. Having longer here, ideally 3 or more days is ideal, in my opinion!

Why not check out some of my other blog posts while you’re here –

How to Get a Working Holiday Visa for Australia, Canada, and New Zealand

Moving to New Zealand: My Experience

Living in Queenstown New Zealand-Absolutely Everything You Should Know

19 Most Amazing Things to Do in Queenstown in the Summer

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Last Updated on November 27, 2024 by snaphappytravel